Tornadoes in Polk County
The Storm Prediction Center records 13 tornadoes whose paths touched Polk County, Tennessee between 1973 and 2020. They killed 10 people and injured 209. The busiest month is April, with 5 tornadoes. The strongest was an F3 on 3 April 1974. The most recent was on 12 April 2020.
- 13tornadoes
- 10deaths
- 209injuries
- 299per 10,000 sq mi of land
A tornado that crossed several counties counts in each one, so county counts add up to more than the state's.
How strong were the tornadoes in Polk County?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 2 | 15% |
| F1 / EF1 | 3 | 23% |
| F2 / EF2 | 3 | 23% |
| F3 / EF3 | 5 | 38% |
| F4 / EF4 | 0 | 0% |
| F5 / EF5 | 0 | 0% |
| Unknown rating | 0 | 0% |
Polk County tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2020, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 4 |
| 1980s | 1 |
| 1990s | 2 |
| 2000s | 1 |
| 2010s | 4 |
| 2020s | 1 |
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 1 |
| Mar | 3 |
| Apr | 5 |
| May | 2 |
| Jun | 0 |
| Jul | 0 |
| Aug | 0 |
| Sep | 0 |
| Oct | 0 |
| Nov | 1 |
| Dec | 1 |
Records for Polk County
- Deadliest: Cleveland, Tennessee tornado27 April 2011, EF2, 4 deaths, 28 miles long
- Strongest: Cleveland, Tennessee tornado3 April 1974, F3, 3 deaths, 50 injuries, 21.2 miles long
- Longest path: Tennessee tornado2 March 2012, EF3, 44 injuries, 41 miles long
- Most recent: Tennessee tornado12 April 2020, EF1, 4.7 miles long
Notable tornadoes in Polk County
- Cleveland, Tennessee tornado27 April 2011, EF2, 4 deaths, 28 miles long
- Cleveland, Tennessee tornado3 April 1974, F3, 3 deaths, 50 injuries, 21.2 miles long
- Benton, Tennessee tornado30 November 2016, EF3, 2 deaths, 4.6 miles long
- Cleveland, Tennessee tornado3 April 1974, F3, 1 death, 100 injuries, 18.1 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.